Date of Award
8-29-2023
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Philosophy (MPHIL)
Discipline
Social Sciences
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Prof. NG Ting Kin
Abstract
Although perceived similarity has been found to foster relationship satisfaction, scarce studies have focused on how perceived similarity by oneself and by the partner are linked to relationship satisfaction. The purpose of Study 1 was to investigate the effect of perceived similarity on relationship satisfaction and the mediating role of attributional confidence in this association. Study 2 aimed to examine the effects of one’s own and the partner’s perceived similarity on relationship satisfaction, in addition to the mediating roles of one’s own and the partner’s attributional confidence in these associations. In Study 1, a total of 395 individuals (51.4% female) aged 17 to 67 (M = 22.06, SD = 4.68) in unmarried heterosexual relationships were recruited. Data were analyzed using latent structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that perceived similarity positively predicted relationship satisfaction and attributional confidence, and attributional confidence positively predicted relationship satisfaction. Besides, the indirect effect of perceived similarity on relationship satisfaction via attributional confidence was significant. In Study 2, a total of 227 heterosexual couples were employed. The actor-partner interdependence mediation model was analyzed using latent structural equation modeling. The results showed that the actor effects of perceived similarity on relationship satisfaction and attributional confidence and the actor effects of attributional confidence on relationship satisfaction were significant for both genders. Moreover, the partner effects of attributional confidence on relationship satisfaction were significant for both genders. Furthermore, the results showed that the actor effects of perceived similarity on relationship satisfaction were mediated by the actor effects of attributional confidence, as well as the partner effects of perceived similarity on relationship satisfaction were mediated by partner attributional confidence (i.e., one’s partner’s perceived similarity on one’s relationship satisfaction via one’s partner’s attributional confidence). The present findings shed light on the mechanism through which perceived similarity fosters relationship satisfaction among heterosexual relationships.
Language
English
Copyright
The copyright of this thesis is owned by its author. Any reproduction, adaptation, distribution or dissemination of this thesis without express authorization is strictly prohibited.
Recommended Citation
Lee, T. H. (2023). Perceived similarity and relationship satisfaction: The role of attributional confidence (Master's thesis, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from https://commons.ln.edu.hk/otd/191/